In some networks based on 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) for instance networks based on Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), a wireless communication device (WCD) receives and transmits data on only one carrier frequency (or “carrier” for short). Due to non-orthogonality between users, which results in interference leakage between the users, the uplink throughput is limited to 2-3 Mbps in scenarios with multiple users.
To enable high-bitrate operation in a real-network environment, the high-bitrate transmissions must be isolated from users that are vulnerable to the high interference created. A natural way to accomplish this within the current WCDMA technology is to make use of a “clean carrier” concept. In this concept, carriers are divided into regular carriers and clean carriers. The regular carriers provide the basic needs of a user. The clean carriers, on the other hand, may be dedicated exclusively to high-bitrate transmissions. On a clean carrier, users are scheduled by the network to transmit one at a time as much as possible in order to avoid interfering with one another.